Average customer rating:
- Don't Take it that Seriously
- Not one of my favorite Atwood reads, but still recommended for fans
- A painfully average setting but a bizarre, metaphorical subject. Hard to put down. Recommended.
- First but very good
- Simply dull
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The Edible Woman
Margaret Atwood
Manufacturer: Anchor
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Binding: Paperback
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Life Before Man
ASIN: 0385491069
Release Date: 1998-03-16 |
Book Description
Ever since her engagement, the strangest thing has been happening to Marian McAlpin: she can't eat. First meat. Then eggs, vegetables, cake, pumpkin seeds--everything! Worse yet, she has the crazy feeling that she's being eaten. Marian ought to feel consumed with passion, but she really just feels...consumed. A brilliant and powerful work rich in irony and metaphor, The Edible Woman is an unforgettable masterpiece by a true master of contemporary literary fiction.
Customer Reviews:
Don't Take it that Seriously.......2007-08-31
I guess I'm not the kind of reader who searches out the symbolism of every novel I read. So the discussion of this book and what the characters are supposed to symbolize may be the reason that many people did not enjoy The Edible Woman. I did. Immensely. I thought it was a hilarious look at the late 1960s in the West and there were many points I could relate to. Here's a rollicking group of young people, extremely intelligent, and full of ideas about the way life should be and how they want to live. In college, or just having graduated, they're getting smacked in the face with the reality of the world: Dull coworkers their own age and older, dull, meaningless jobs when they really want to make a splash; dull marriages and engagements that promise to turn into dull marriages; insane friends, roomates, and situations. Everything's just too much. I found this book a really refreshing--and nostalgic--look at the day before 1970. Of couse, it was written then, so the nostalgia is in the mind of the reader who may recognize that time and place. The book is deep, too. It explores the emotions of Marian, a "stolid" (I love that word--only Atwood can bring it off) young woman of obviously conventional upbringing. She's on a path that seems not to be of her choosing--though it is--and consciously decides to step off it. How she does this drives the plot and to a great extent the book's other characters. I found the parts about her friend Ainsley wickedly funny, and yes there's a certain amount of bitterness about female stereotyping that goes along with her character. But there's more to it. What we come to discover about Marian, and the whole circle of people she associates with, is that they're really free thinkers disguised as "good" kids. Marian fast forwards 25 years into her impending marriage and realizes that she wants no part of it. She's rebelling in the only way that she knows. But it's still rebellion. Ainsley, for all her outrageousness, gets pregnant and married. Interestingly, there's no input from any family member in this book. No parents anywhere--and that in itself is very true to the time it was written. I recommend this book. Don't think too much about what it means--just read it and let it speak to you in its own voice.
Not one of my favorite Atwood reads, but still recommended for fans.......2007-03-18
THE EDIBLE WOMAN by Margaret Atwood
March 18, 2007
Rating: 4 Stars
Here's a book I read back in 2006. I'm taking a guess, but I think this is Atwood's first novel. It's a psychological character driven story in which a woman finds herself in a relationship she doesn't really care for, and before she knows it she's engaged to be married. She doesn't know how to get out of the engagement, so she goes along with it, but at the same time she is slowly losing the desire to eat. While this is all going on, she meets a man (a somewhat delinquent type of college student is the impression I get) during an interview.
Marian McAlpin works for a company (Seymour Surveys) where she has to find people to interview for various products. This is how she meets Duncan (and his "parents" Fischer and Trevor) and she is drawn to him. They carry on an illicit relationship while at the same time she keeps up the facade of being engaged to Peter, a man she really does not want to be with.
Marian's roommate Ainsley is another problem. Ainsley is trying to get pregnant (previously she was totally against having children) and latches on to Len, Marian's long time friend, and seduces him. Len had no idea what Ainsley was planning, and you can guess how he reacts when he figures out what Ainsley is up to.
And there is also Clara, Marian's friend who has several children(all toddlers). Clara's life revolves around her children and seems to have no life outside of it.
I'm not sure what I really think about this book. It was an interesting read, and my views on it may be skewed since I read it after my mother passed away. I also didn't read it all at once, but slowly, which may also have affected how I feel about it. I think for Atwood fans, I'd recommend this book. I liked it better than SURFACING, which is the book was published after EDIBLE WOMAN, but it is not going to be a favorite.
A painfully average setting but a bizarre, metaphorical subject. Hard to put down. Recommended........2006-07-27
Marian appears to be an average woman with average friendships and relationships, working an average job and leading an average life. However, when she gets engaged to her boyfriend her life begins to change. Marian can't eat: first meat, and then vegetables, and finally anything at all. As she struggles through her issues with food, she carries on a bizarre and selfish friendship/affair with a mysterious young man. This is a story about the bizarre appearing within the mundane. The writing style especially at the beginning of the book is almost painfully plain, but the promise of strange events to come and the introduction of a particuarly bizarre character keep the reader interested. It grows into a somewhat neurotic, strange book that, despite its mundane, even boring beginning, is easy to get lost in and worth exploring to the end. I didn't take a very strong liking to this text, but I still recommended it. Atwood is a talented writer and Marian's story is a compelling tale and warning.
The first third of this book was frustrating in a very strange way. The protagonist leads such a boring life and the people that surround her are so frustrating and immature that I wasn't sure why I was still reading. Somehow, however, Atwood manages to build up this incredibly mundane and average setting without driving the reader to distraction. Somehow the text remains readable, even compelling. Chapters fly by. It's a confusing experience but I think it shows real talent on the part of the author. Without this setting, the rest of the book wouldn't be either so peculiar or so meaningful, but the introduction could have easily lead all readers to put the book down from the onset.
As for the body of the story itself--the metaphor of a woman that can't eat but is rather being eaten is pervasive, but the book manages to carry out a fairly solid plot despite the basis in the metaphorical and bizarre. The secondary male character is engrossing in his own right: entirely selfish but at the same time easy to be interested in and love; Marian's relationship with him is described in such a straightforward way that the reader identifies with it despite its strange and questionable nature. The metaphor of the edible woman builds slowly but reaches a very heavy, literal climax. All in all, this is a hard book for me to sum up: it both mundane and exceptional, literal and metaphorical, and somehow kept me reading through to the end despite the first third of the book and my lack of interest in the general subject. I don't know what to say about it.
However, the fact that I did read through this book quickly and found it hard to pull myself away from it does say something. Despite the book's beginning, subject matter, and strange contradictions in style and purpose, it reads well and builds up to an iconic, dramatic conclusion. The disparate aspects carry through and resolve. For that reason, I recommend it. Atwood manages to do a lot with this text, and while it isn't the best or most memorable book that I've read, it is unique. The metaphor of the edible woman is perhaps reason enough to read this text, and the writing style, somehow compelling despite dealing with such an average setting, makes the book hard to put down.
First but very good.......2006-07-14
The first novel published by Margaret Atwood. A woman loses her balance after her boyfriend proposes to her. She discovers that he is not The One for her. There are two other choices depicted in the novel: one of her friends is married and has children, her other friend decides to have a child but she plans to use a man only as a tool to achieve her goal.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it shows us how the conscious self and the unconscious self interacts in a human being. Marian defends her integrity by letting her unconscious self rebel against the constraints of society. She wants negotiable human relationships and not rigid institutions. Peter, her fiancé, accepts social conventions and becomes a cog in the machinery, which Marian is simply uncapable of.
Simply dull.......2006-05-25
This book wasn't very good. Though skillfully written, I found it dry and not very insightful. It is very focused on gender and I wonder if I wouldn't have enjoyed it more were I a woman. Though frankly, none of the woman I know are this husband obsessed or shallow. At the end of the book I was reading the talking points for students and was shocked to find that aspects of the book are considered a dark comedy. Not once did I ever think, "How clever" or "How morbidly funny". The metaphors were very heavy-handed and obvious. You never wonder what is going on, it's there in print in front of you. The only thing that isn't clear are the main character's motivation for making herself miserable. We all know (herself included) that there are very few external forces working upon her. Her misery is entirely of her own volition, yet she seems helpless to change her circumstances.
I liken the book to a dull version of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. But in print form and without the whimsy and insight.
Product Description
5 Book Set By Margaret Atwood; the Edible Woman; the Handmaid's Tale; the Blind Assassin; Oryx and Crake; the Robber Bride.
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The Edible Woman
Manufacturer: Atlantic-Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000CQBZEC |
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The Edible Woman
Manufacturer: Seal Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HIC8HI |
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THE EDIBLE WOMAN
ATWOOD
Manufacturer: VIRAGO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S6C9RS |
Average customer rating:
|
Edible Woman
Margaret Atwood
Manufacturer: VIRAGO (LITT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7NVDQ |
Book Description
From the back cover:
She could resist anything but Temptation…
Cat Sheehan is the wild child of the Sheehan family. But when her family bar closes, she decides it's time to straighten up. She's going to reform—and she's going to start by hooking up with a nice guy. But her resolution goes down the drain when bad boy musician Dylan Spencer walks in. Because he's a temptation no woman could resist….
Dylan has a secret. Not only is he not a bad boy…he's not a stranger, either. Though Cat doesn't recognize him, Dylan's been in love with her since high school. And for a chance to have Cat where he wants her- in his life, in his bed—he's willing to be whatever kind of man she wants...
"Leslie Kelly's books are the perfect blend of sass and class. Her cheeky style makes her one of the strongest voices in romance today." New York Times Best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson
Customer Reviews:
terrific ending to a terrific line.......2005-06-02
Cat Sheehan is stunned that Temptations, the bar owned by her family is closing. She wants to save the place, but feels helpless knowing she has no options. At the same time, Cat ponders cleaning up her act by finding a nice guy rather than the bad boys she always has dated.
Her resolve ends when musician Dylan Spencer enters Temptations as he has bad boy and temptation written all. Dylan and Cat begin seeing one another in what is a heated affair. However, Dylan fears the relationship will end once he reveals the truth about himself. Dylan is a nerdy software engineer who has loved Cat since high school, but she never knew he existed back then as he was too clean and straight for her to enter his circle and she does not know him today as she knows the bad boy musician.
This is a fitting title to the last novel in what has been a two decade terrific imprint. HER LAST TEMPTATION is a fine heated contemporary romance that fans will appreciate due to two delightful lead characters with a fabulous premise of wild girl seeks good boy, but falls in love with bad boy who is actually a good boy in disguise. Leslie Kelly insures that the Temptation line goes out with quite a bang as the audience will treasure the final act.
Harriet Klausner
Awesome Final Entry for the Temptation line.......2005-05-22
Wild child bartender, Cat Sheehan is about to have a life altering change when the bar she's part owner in, Temptation, must close down for good. In moving forward from this sad moment she's decided to reform herself, starting with her choices in men. Nice Guys only from now on.
Dylan Spencer, a sinfully gorgeous bad boy musician enters Temptation and Cat's best intentions go by the way side in favor of one last fling. She just can't resist him.
No woman could.
But Dylan has a secret, not the least of which is what the G in his band's name the Four G's stands for. Dylan is not a bad boy nor is he a stranger to Cat Sheehan.
HER LAST TEMPTATION is a very sexy, very funny, and alas final entry in the Harlequin Temptation line. It is also a huge Must Read by Leslie Kelly.
HER LAST TEMPTATION is a Collector's Edition and one of the best Leslie Kelly books I've ever read...and I've read them all.
Don't miss HER LAST TEMPTATION.
Book Description
It's a tale of incompetence in the face of adversity.
Or is it a story of adversity in the face of incompetence?
Well, anyway, there's a robot, a giant monster, a line of evil toys, a mind control plot, sub-orbital death beams, kidnappers, bad movies, a super powered gang, an usurper, and a maniacal villain hell-bent on world domination.
Not all at once, though. I mean, really, could you imagine coordinating the fight scene? Or reading it? You'd have to take notes just to keep track of who hit what and why.
Download Description
It's a tale of incompetence in the face of adversity.
Or is it a story of adversity in the face of incompetence?
Well, anyway, there's a robot, a giant monster, a line of evil toys, a mind control plot, sub-orbital death beams, kidnappers, bad movies, a super powered gang, an usurper, and a maniacal villain hell-bent on world domination.
Not all at once, though. I mean, really, could you imagine coordinating the fight scene? Or reading it? You'd have to take notes just to keep track of who hit what and why.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but definitely shows it roots.......2007-06-27
Brian Clevinger surprises us all with this gem of absurdity. It manages to be funny, serious, complex, and simple all at once, which is a hallmark of any good writer. The characters are very memorable, although some barely escape being one-dimensional. The scenes depicted in the story are exciting, and in some cases even thought-provoking. Simply put, this is a good book.
However, Clevinger's roots as a webcomic artist and overall geek shine through very strongly in the way he presents the story. In some ways this is good, but in others, it hurts the book. Much as in a long continuity of comics, Nuklear Age suffers from what I like to call the "Infinite Crisis" problem.
The "Infinite Crisis" problem is a dilemma wherein the story reaches a point that nothing is too crazy to be put in the comic/book, and so things have to be cleaned up somehow. This solution is never elegant and always leaves behind questions that cannot be answered, or, as in Clevinger's case, messy solutions that aren't very satisfying. I won't elaborate any further, so as to avoid spoiling anything.
Perhaps explaining the aforementioned problem is the fact that Nuklear Age reads like a comic book in many ways. I feel that this is a great achievement, merging the style of comics with the prose of fiction literature. On the other hand, if you don't like the feel of the text in modern comics, you won't like Clevinger's book either.
Hmm...the only other gripe I can think about is that Clevinger's sense of humor is definitely a little off-the-wall. If you are a fan of his other works, such as his webcomic 8-Bit Theater, you will instantly recognize it, and the book will crack you up. Otherwise, however, the humor may take a bit of time to grow on you.
Many of the editing errors in the previous version (I have read both) have been corrected in this second edition, but one error that is left glaring at the reader is the retention of the aggravating author's note in the beginning asking the reader to read the book in small sittings. It was tacky in the first edition, and is still tacky now. An author should not tell the reader how to read the book, his writing should suggest it on its own.
In the end, most people *will* read this book in small sittings, though, since it is long. It is very long, and as other reviews have mentioned, it is almost like a rollercoaster ride. Nuklear Age starts slow, builds to an exciting climax, descends, and then repeats a few times before finally coming to an overall end. It manages to avoid feeling too long, though, thanks to its "Infinite Crisis" situation that ends up being a double-edged sword for the work.
The smaller, individual rides making up the plot of the book can be abstracted by another, larger, rollercoaster, one that represents the quality of the book itself. It begins a little rocky, is very good in the middle, and then becomes not-as-good at the end. Thankfully, just like the theme-park attraction it is being compared with, the book spends most of its time in the good part.
This book definitely deserves the 4-star rating I gave it. It may sound as though I had nothing but bad things to say about it, but in fact, these are the ONLY gripes I have about the book. Everything else about this novel is astounding, and it is definitely worth a read. However, those who are skeptical may do well to find the excerpt from the book on Clevinger's site, [...]. The book is certainly not for everyone, and it's especially not for people who hate comics, superheroes, or absurd humor. For everyone else, it is amazing.
It's all a matter of perception..........2005-11-04
There is very, very little that I can say that has not already been said.
Yes, the editing is at times horrendous. I flinched every time he used a word followed by a colon, which often rendered the thing he was trying to describe nonsensical...calling it an "Iron Battlesuit" works so much more than "Iron: Battlesuit." Other similar little grammatical errors irked me, but going on about them would be beating a dead horse.
You see, the entire problem I had with the book was that reading it the first time, I was trying to read it as a book. And the thing is, "Nuklear Age" just wasn't meant to be a book.
The first time I read it, I didn't even crack a smile. Not once. The humor seemed forced and often dull, as if Brian had to pound every joke into our skulls with a hammer, screaming "Get it? GET IT?" into our ears. The court scene was a nightmare and I had to force myself to read all of it. The "joke" seemed shocking, morbid, and in poor taste.
And then, after maybe half a year of "Nuklar Age" moldering on my shelf, I decided to give it another chance...and something in the introduction, about it written like a comic book, actually clicked. As I read, I stopped trying to read it like a book and I tried to envision the action as if it was happening panel by panel...and suddenly, it was hilarious. Sticking the dialogue into speech bubbles and envisioning the characters as illustrated and inked as opposed to living and breathing suddenly made the book work.
The "joke" made sense, and while I still didn't like it, I could finally appreciate it. In an odd way, it seemed to me to echo what a certain writer did to a certain comic book character elsewhere that completely caught everyone off guard.
And that, friends, is the key to understanding both the success and failure of "Nuklear Age": it shouldn't be a book. It doesn't work in the form Brian has given it to us in.
But as a comic book, it would be brilliant.
Comic Writing vs Novel Writing.......2005-10-28
Five days after I bought this book, I resold it to a friend. In truth, I probably would have paid him to take it if he'd pressed the point. This 600 page brick wasn't worth the time or effort needed to purchase it.
I used to be an avid reader of 8-Bit Theater. However, I stopped reading that for much the same reason I stopped reading halfway through Brian's book - the plot was going nowhere, the characters were far too predictable, and he seemed to develop a habit of waxing satiric when no one was looking.
From the pace-killing phrases such as "Iron: Boots" to the weak and sometimes just plain forced jokes, it's my opinion that any fan of Clevinger's work would do well to stick with his sprite comic. He's proven himself in that medium, but his first foray into creating a cohesive plot seemed lacking at best.
I'm no writer, myself. I don't claim that I could do better, because honestly, I couldn't. But if one wants to sell a novel, on the principle of selling a novel, he should be prepared to undertake the responsibilities that entails, such as character development, the onerous task of using spell-check, and also taking the draft(s) to consult with people who aren't already in love with his legend.
All in all, I've read worse first novels. But not many.
A New Writer Made a Good Book.......2005-08-01
Reading Nuklear Age was an odd experience for me. As I went through the 600+ pages, I was able to watch Brian Clevinger flourish from his bumpy and badly paced start to a (comparatively) smoothly transitioned roller coaster ending. This book hurt alot for what had to have been ZERO editing, but the ideas, characters and even some of the running jokes bring this book to an easy 4 stars. The DANGER:Religious Differences closet and the Mall scenes alone are worth the price of the book.
Once you get past yourself and start seeing the book as a mock-up of all the super-hero comics you have ever read, you understand the humor in this book. Yes the characters are shallow for the most part, but it is completely on purpose and well placed for what the book is trying to accomplish.
Atomik Lad's story arc is delicious and Nuke's dichotomy of sheer stupidity and self-centered arrogance makes a great backdrop for the story.
After you get past the first few chapters and acclamate yourself to the spelling errors and grammar issues that any un-edited book has, this book becomes an excellent read. Purchase and enjoy the mindscape that this book creates.
A comic book with a poignant (yet true) ending.........2005-06-30
Let me just say, this book should not be read by fans of 8-Bit Theater expecting the same style of story telling and humor. Because it's that and so much more.
Personally, I think this book should be read as a comic book disguised as a novel. Many of the minor characters appear "flat" because they are simply the embodiment of the many cliched characters in today's comics and TV shows. The fight scenes are long and at times DBZ-esque (overdone), but, again, that should be expected.
Overall, I think this is a brilliant work. I hope more people will read it and it can eventually gain more popularity. Though Brian has room to improve (this being his first of hopefully many books) the ingenuity of many ideas in the book (KI fields, for instance) show the creative detail of his imagination.
I would recommend this book for those who don't expect extreme wit or happy endings. Take it all with a grain of salt and just enjoy the comic book goodness converted into 652 pages of text. You'll like-- trust me.
Average customer rating:
- Fantastic !!
- A Real Eye-Opener
- Some good advice, but for what demographic group?
- A "gem"? Only if that "gem" is made out of faceted crap.
- to the naysayers:lighten up!
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SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE: 100 WAYS TO SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER
Elaine St. James
Manufacturer: Hyperion
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ASIN: 0786880007 |
Book Description
This is the audio version of Elaine St. James' first bestselling book, Simplify Your Life. St. James shows us how to reduce the clutter in our lives, from cleaning out our closets to canceling newspaper subscriptions. Full of hints and anecdotes, listening to this audiobook is the perfect way to help you map out a plan to un-complicate your life. St. James shares her wisdom and insight and explains exactly how to save time and energy and leave more room open for the things you really enjoy.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic !!.......2007-05-11
I bought this book many years ago when it first came out and absolutely loved it. About once a year or so, I go back and re-read it to get my head on straight about the subject of simplification (pull myself back from slipping into the complicated). Not everything in the book is for everyone (including me), but it really makes you think.
About 15 years ago, we bought a larger house than we absolutely needed and proceeded to throw things into the basement storage area, kitchen cabinets, etc. because "we had the room" and "we might need this some day". After living that way for years, we developed quite a pile of unused stuff and it began feeling very over-whelming. It has taken us several years to eliminate most of the clutter and to begin to let go of stuff we don't need but felt guilty about getting rid of. It is an on-going journey and this book really helps! One thing comes into the house, one thing must go back out.
Many people think of simplification as moving to a cabin in the woods, but the reality for many of us is that we need to simplify in place. Look at your existing situation and make incremental improvements. Over time, they really add up and I feel much, much freer than when we started this program. The simple wardrobe has significantly cut down the amount of time I spend shopping (and has saved hundreds of dollars), the suggestion for don't answer the phone just because it's ringing has saved us many a meal-time (or just quiet time), keep your plants outdoors was obvious once I read it and wonderful in practice.
There are also some very "deep" steps such as cleaning up relationships that are no longer working for you which are enormously helpful. I have spent the past couple of years making sure that friendships I develop are healthy and fulfilling and cleaning up some old relationships where I just got sucked into relationships with needy, toxic folks. That alone saved hours of time and a great deal of stress and strain.
I just can't say enough about this book as well as her other publications. The whole approach is simple and logical .... just start somewhere and get going. You will find yourself in a store thinking about purchases before you make them and only bringing things into your home and life that truly add value.
What an absolutely fabulous book for a beginning simplifier or someone who needs a refresher on a different philosophy of life.
A Real Eye-Opener.......2007-04-18
I can't agree with some who have condemned this book. While some of her ideas did not apply, that doesn't mean that the book is no good. I lived in a large city when I first read this book, and after I was done, I immediately sold the extra auto and threw out any junky breakfast food that was hanging around. My next trip to Goodwill was much more generous as well. To me, Mrs. St. James gave us all a real wake-up call as far as how we're living and to think about what we really need and what we don't. Now that I live in the country and have entered into a vocation that requires a car, I can't do a couple of the things I used to, but I still continuously take stock of my stuff and try to keep things pared down, and don't allow myself to get committed to things I know I don't want to do.
Some good advice, but for what demographic group?.......2007-04-15
First, I really did find some good suggestions in this book as far as how to make my life simpler and free up some of my time. From that standpoint, it was worth the money. However, some comments in the book left me wondering what planet she lives on. For example, the advice that once you start simplifying your life, you will no longer need the cook, the chauffeur, the gardener, the fashion consultant, etc. I mean....she's kidding, right?
A "gem"? Only if that "gem" is made out of faceted crap........2006-12-20
I read this book when it initially came out, and it fascinated me. In fact, I read it many times, figuring that I had SURELY missed the significance I heard so many people going on and on and on about. Well, I am sorry to say that the only significance here lies in giving yourself permission to be selfish and adopt a worldview that is totally egocentric.
Let me give a few examples. St. James suggests that you not open the door to a visitor if you don't want to. She suggests you avoid social situations you don't want to attend. She also suggests you avoid the holiday celebrations if you don't like them. Perhaps she is forgetting that we GROW through doing things we don't want to do--expecially if we are able to touch the lives of those around us in the process. I think that is what disturbs me most of all about the book: most of the suggestions would leave the people who followed them alone, poor, in a tiny, bare apartment with no friends. There comes a point where another visit to the library and evading yet another person at the door lose their luster.
Personal growth often happens when we push ourselves to do things we don't want to do. Sometimes we do things for the wants and needs of OTHERS, not ourselves. Going to a holiday gathering gives me the privilege of honoring my parents. If I took the book's advice, none of this would happen. That, to me, is tragic. I am NOT the center of the universe, and neither are you. To believe otherwise isn't simple: it's silly.
To be fair, some of the suggestions do have some practical benefit. For example, I stopped trying to match socks to outfits (since I'm a man and my socks are infrequently seen) and switched to the same black socks. She is right; that does make washing and wearing socks easier. I also like her suggestion about reducing clutter. However, the story about an Olympic medal winning athlete wanting to get her Olympic medals out of her house was just bizarre. If I had an Olympic metal, I can PROMISE you that it would remain in my house, and I wouldn't consider it "clutter." Sheesh.
I can't imagine some of the more "hardcore" suggestions, like buying and wearing seven pairs of the identical outfit to reduce the difficult task of choosing which clothes to wear. Trust me, it doesn't sound any less silly when you read it in the book.
If Ms. St. James helped usher in a "self-help" movement, then I applaud her. Her book did make me think, and it did give me a few strategies to make life simpler. It also helped me assess my moral values and realize that OTHERS are far more important than ME. Simplicity comes from focusing on the needs of others instead of the needs of self. Only then can life be really simple, because all the "stuff" that complicates our lives ceases to be important. That, my friends, is TRUE simplicity.
to the naysayers:lighten up!.......2006-11-08
I found this book to be profound. It got me questioning a lot of my spending habits, my lifestyle, and what is really important to me. This book has been an inspiration to me. She wrote this book to help people. Maybe the reviewers who are unnecessarily negative about this book should keep that in mind.
Books:
- The Ernesto "Che" Guevara School for Wayward Girls: A Novel of Politics
- The First Verse: A Novel
- The Gates of the Forest: A Novel
- The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
- The Hotel New Hampshire
- The Icarus Girl: A Novel
- The In-Between World of Vikram Lall
- The Last Crossing: A Novel
- The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint: A Novel
- The Moor's Last Sigh
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
- History: Fiction or Science
- At the Eleventh Hour: The biography of Swami Rama
- Child Safe: A Practical Guide for Preventing Childhood Injuries
- History: Fiction or Science
- Geometry of Differential Forms
- Gravity's Rainbow
- Fortunes of Mitchell Kennerley, Bookman
- Charles H. Jones, Journalist and Politician of the Gilded Age
- Solving IRS Problems
